Live Reporting

By Aiden James, Paul Gribben and Jackie Storer

All times stated are UK

Posted at 10:36 1 Jun 201710:36 1 Jun 2017

Recap: The key clips from the BBC TV election debate

The morning so far has been dominated by reaction to the seven-way BBC TV election debate last night. Events are now moving on to the campaign trail with speeches from Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn to come on Brexit due this afternoon. Click here to follow these events on our fresh BBC Election Live page.

Video content

Scroll down for more of the reaction to the debate and to see how the debate itself unfolded, with lots of clips as well as text commentary and analysis. Alternatively watch the whole debate by clicking on the video tab at the top of this page.

EU and Britain 'may want to be reunited' - George Soros

Mr Soros added: "The divorce will be a long process, taking as long as five years. Five years seems like an eternity in politics, especially in revolutionary times like these. During that time the EU could transform itself into an organisation that other countries like Britain would want to join. If that happened the two sides may want to be reunited even before the divorce is completed. That would be a wonderful outcome worth striving for.

"This seems practically inconceivable right now, but in reality it's quite attainable. Britain is a parliamentary democracy, within five years it has to hold another general election and the next parliament may vote to be reunited with Europe."

George Soros: 'EU must resist temptation to punish Britain'

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

Philanthropist billionaire George Soros believes that Britain remaining in the EU is still possible.

Addressing the Brussels Economic Forum, he said: “Brexit will be an immensely damaging process,
harmful to both sides. Most of the damage is felt right now, when the European
Union is in an existential danger but its attention is diverted in negotiating
the separation from Britain.

"The European Union must resist the temptation to
punish Britain and approach the negotiations in a constructive spirit. It
should use Brexit as a catalyst for introducing far-reaching reforms."

Theresa May 'to strike optimistic note' on Brexit

Norman Smith

Assistant political editor

The prime minister is to promise Britain will become a "more prosperous" country after Brexit.

Her claim that the UK will be wealthier is at odds with warnings from a number of independent forecasters.
The Office for Budget Responsibility has warned Brexit will "reduce growth in exports and imports" and has revised down growth forecasts for the economy.

But in a speech later, Mrs May will seek to strike a more optimistic note, predicting "a brighter future" after Brexit.

"The promise of Brexit is great, the opportunities before us are enormous," she will say, describing Brexit as "a moment of great national change" which is "alive with possibilities".

She will add: "I am confident we can fullfil the promise of Brexit and build a Britain that is stronger, fairer and more prosperous than it is today."

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will also set out his approach to the Brexit negotiations later.
Opposition parties have repeatedly warned of the economic risks the UK faces outside the single market.

"I see absolutely no sign of her wanting to pay a big divorce bill because it would be a stupid thing to do and she's not silly," said Mr Redwood, who campaigned to leave the EU.

Quote Message: We owe them absolutely nothing, other than our legal dues up to the date of leaving the regular payments, and that is very clearly the legal advice given to the EU as well as to us, and so I think the EU was just putting forward a rather silly red herring.

We owe them absolutely nothing, other than our legal dues up to the date of leaving the regular payments, and that is very clearly the legal advice given to the EU as well as to us, and so I think the EU was just putting forward a rather silly red herring.

BBC assistant political editor's view of 'a right old bunfight'

BBC assistant political editor Norman Smith says it's possible that "the volume button on the TV remote won" for many viewers, given the noise of clashing politicians.

"Let's be honest, it was a right old bunfight," he says.

Theresa May was "damaged before anyone spoke a word" by her decision not to take part, Norman adds.

For Jeremy Corbyn, there was not "a moment where he crashed through and had a big impact".

Norman thinks that the Green Party's Caroline Lucas and Conservative Amber Rudd performed well - Ms Lucas for her attacks on Mrs May over her absence and Ms Rudd for sticking to "simple messages" such as Labour's spending commitments.

TV debate was 'a bear garden' of shouting - Neil Hamilton

Today Programme

BBC Radio 4

BBCCopyright: BBC

Neil Hamilton, leader of the UKIP group in the Welsh Assembly, said rather than strong and stable, Theresa May has been seen as "shrivelled" and "shrill" for refusing to take part in last night's TV debate.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd stood in for the prime minister, who has come under fire for absenting herself from the event.

Mr Hamilton, formerly a Conservative MP, says the programme came across as a "bear garden" of people shouting over each other, which meant voters did not get a great deal out of it.

It was not a good opportunity for UKIP's leader Paul Nuttall to get his message across, he says.

"Bear in mind you've got four parties who broadly agree about Brexit - they're against it - Labour, Liberals, Plaid and the SNP," he says.

"Amber Rudd, who was a strong supporter of the Remain camp and her brother was the big PR man who was behind the Remain camp - and then there was Paul Nuttall.

"And the audience reflected those proportions, so if you were having a Brexit debate, it wasn't half and half."